


Hermione Noticed

by IndigoSynopsis



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Crushes, F/M, Fluff, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:21:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27089317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IndigoSynopsis/pseuds/IndigoSynopsis
Summary: He was busying himself trying to anchor the other umbrella in the sand. Hermione noticed the look of concentration on his face, like making sure there was enough sand packed around the pole was the most important thing in the world. She also noticed the way he flinched when her father said his name.A slight AU where Harry & Hermione visit a beach before heading to their 5th year at Hogwarts.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Harry Potter
Comments: 18
Kudos: 112





	Hermione Noticed

Hermione noticed. 

She noticed when Harry stopped and looked down at the place where sand and boardwalk met. One of his shoes was halfway onto the beach, but he wasn’t going any further. Instead, his hands were running over the tall vegetation that lined each side of the wooden path, a look of childlike wonder in his eyes. 

  
She reached out too, touched the thin stalks as they blew daintily in the wind. Usually she’d just walk by, headed straight for her favorite section of the beach. But today the tallgrass seemed unusually green, highlighted against the beige sand and an unusually blue sky. She wished she could once again experience this for the first time. 

“Oh! Let me help you with that Mrs. Granger.” Hermione was startled from her thoughts as Harry yanked his hand back and spun around. He made his way over to her mother, moving to take the bags over both her shoulders. No amount of protesting could dissuade Harry from taking the bags. He brought them to where Mr. Granger waited a short distance away, then jogged back to the car and grabbed everything else. 

He set the towels. He unfolded the beach chairs. He pushed the pole of her parent’s umbrella into the sand and opened it, pausing to look at the sunlight filtering through the sheer blue material before busying himself again. 

“Harry,” Hermione said, kneeling on the towel beside him, “You don’t need to help. This is a day to relax, remember?”

“I don’t mind,” he replied. He was busying himself trying to anchor the other umbrella in the sand. Hermione noticed the look of concentration on his face, like making sure there was enough sand packed around the pole was the most important thing in the world. She also noticed the way he flinched when her father said his name. 

“Harry, would you like some lemonade?” Her father’s voice was soft, but Harry still made a move to jump up and run to the cooler. Only Mr. Granger was standing in front of him, holding out a plastic cup. Harry looked at Mr. Granger’s outstretched hand and then back up. Hermione noticed the way he tensed ever so slightly beneath his thin shirt. She thought he might protest. 

“Thank you,” Harry said instead, smiling and taking the cup from her father’s hand. 

“Any time!” said Mr. Granger, handing a cup to Hermione as well before plopping down in one of the beach chairs, “You two let us know if you need anything, alright?”

“Get in the water when you’re done! It’ll refresh you,” Mrs. Granger added. She pulled down her sunglasses to wink at them, and Harry blushed. Hermione simply rolled her eyes, flashing her mother a look as Harry sat down beside her. 

The breeze grew mild, tickling Hermione’s cheek as she took occasional sips from her cup. The waves pushed and pulled at the sand, and she could hear the splashing and giggling of young children playing in the shallows. Her parents were talking about how they’d like to see Australia one day, perhaps on their next trip. Hermione got lost in the sound of it all, letting it wash over her like the ocean enveloped the rocks. 

“I’m not sure I want to go back,” Harry said. He was so quiet the wind nearly drowned him out, but Hermione heard. 

“To Hogwarts?” she asked, though she already knew the answer. Harry nodded, putting his now empty cup on the towel beside him. 

“You saw the articles. The Daily Prophet says I’m an attention seeking liar. I’m surprised Dumbledore let me come on this trip after the dementors.” Hermione winced at that statement, though she hoped Harry didn’t see. “Let” was stretching it. They would more than likely get an earful from the entire Order of the Phoenix when they got back & there was probably a Ministry wizard tailing them at this very moment. This was a risk, though to Hermione the worth far outweighed it. 

She knew Ron would be especially angry, though likely at not being invited rather than the danger Harry was in. But she’d noticed the way Harry acted after she and Ron made Prefect. Falsely chipper, disappointed. Anger as she’d never seen in him before. She could read him better than any schoolbook. For that reason, she’d left her own badge in her room at Grimmauld Place and forbade her parents from gushing about it. Just for today. 

“I can’t say it’ll be easy,” Hermione said, “But I think we’ll make it through.” 

“I certainly will if you’re there,” Harry replied. He reached over and ever so lightly brushed against Hermione’s hand, “You will be, right? I know with Prefect duties and all—” 

“I will  _ make  _ time. Who else will make you study for your O.W.L.’s?” She grinned and raised her eyebrows at him. Harry laughed, this time a genuine, loud one that made both her parents look over and smile. She waved, then shifted her attention back to Harry. He was looking at the water, watching some parents gently splash their young child. 

“Get up,” she said suddenly, hopping to her feet. 

“What?” Harry looked up at her but made no move to follow. Hermione huffed and shimmied out of her sundress, hoping Harry would get the idea as she stood in a simple one piece suit. 

“Oh.” Harry stood, pulling his shirt over his head and dropping it on the towl beside her dress. His glasses came off next. Then they were applying suncream on every bit of open skin (they were not going back to Hogwarts with sunburns, Mrs. Granger said). Minutes later, Hermione took both of Harry’s hands in her own and pulled him toward the water, laughing with him as he gave little to no resistance. As they reached the water, however, Harry stopped and wouldn’t let Hermione take him further. 

“Give me a second,” he said. He flashed her a reassuring smile. 

“Are you alright?” she asked. Hermione already had water tickling her ankles as the tide rolled over her feet, “Is it because of your glasses?” 

“Well it’s just, I’ve never...” 

“Oh!” How could she have forgotten? Harry had never set foot on a beach. Unless, of course, you counted the Hogwarts lake, which Harry would have no good memories of. She was pretty sure that pile of rocks his relatives had taken him to didn’t count either. She let go of his hands and backed up until the water was at her stomach shivering until she got used to the cold. 

Harry waded in slowly, stopping every once in a while to take in whatever sensation the ocean was giving him. Hermione watched his look shift from apprehension to calm to satisfied, then fade smoothly into joy as he waded out to meet her. 

Then, without warning, Harry splashed her. 

He reached down and, before Hermione could think about dodging, slapped water in her direction. The overzealous motion did more damage than Harry intended, dousing her face and hair in salty water. 

“Did I get you?” Harry said, “I’ll be honest—you are a bit of a blur right now.” 

“Harry James Potter!” she sputtered. She pushed her now wet hair out of her eyes and proved to him he got her by splashing him right back. Now it was his turn to get wet, and soon they were trading attacks and getting drenched beneath the midday sun. Nothing existed outside of their little bubble, not even the other people on the beach. No one else mattered as they took turns putting their head underwater, when Harry showed her a shell he thought felt nice in his hands, when a wave made her fall directly into Harry’s outstretched arm. 

They stood there, trying to catch their breath as Harry’s arm secured around her shoulder. He was cold and had goosebumps, but Hermione didn’t care. She was still smiling as they waded into the shallow area, the sun warming their shoulders. 

“I think we’re being summoned,” Harry said. Hermione looked around and saw her parents waving and beckoning from the beach. Hermione’s dad held up half of a sandwich and pointed with his other hand, silently forming the word ‘food’ with his mouth. Both Hermione and Harry waved back.

“Um, Hermione?” Harry said as they made their way out of the water. His voice had grown quiet again. She wasn’t sure why his cheeks were red. 

“Yes?”

“Thank you,” he gave a smile soft enough to match his voice, “I think I was about to explode at Grimmauld. You figured it out before I did.” He reached a hand out and took hers, giving it a squeeze. Hermione noticed him gulp for just a second, the blush on his cheeks growing. She thought to ask what else was on his mind, why his hand squeezed a little tighter and why he was leaning in her direction. 

Then he did something he’d never done before.

He kissed her on the cheek. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to the Harmony server for providing the prompt that inspired this!   
> I wanted to write something cute and fluffy.


End file.
